1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the manufacture and use of a photomask used in photolithographic processes during the manufacture of integrated circuits. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a photomask offering controllable multiple radiation-absorption levels and to a method for manufacturing the photomask.
2. Description of the Related Art
Certain integrated circuit fabrication processes require precise delimitation of areas to be affected by the fabrication process and of areas to be protected from the fabrication process. Photomasks are patterned masks used in photolithographical processes for selectively inhibiting the exposure to radiation, such as light, specific regions of a material to be patterned, while allowing radiation to act on other regions.
Conventional photomasks include a patterned layer of a light-blocking material, usually chromium, used to block transmission of the particular form of light used. Conventional chromium masks generally provide only one level of complete absorption--that is, light is either totally blocked by the chromium or transmitted in those regions from which the chromium has been removed. These "on-off" photomasks are referred to as binary intensity masks (BIM)
The exposure level of the photoresist, which is the material to be patterned using the photomask, can be controlled by raising or lowering the illumination level. This procedure causes all features defined by the photomask to receive approximately the same light exposure. To provide greater versatility in the exposure of photoresist patterns, particularly in the submicron regime, it would be desirable to have some features that receive relatively greater or less exposure than other features. For example, it is generally helpful if larger features receive less exposure than small features. Of course, it is possible to vary the exposure levels by using separate photomasks and repeating the exposure process. However, this repetitive process is impractical, requiring additional masks and additional exposure and development steps.
As an alternative to existing BIM photomasks, photomasks have been prepared which function to phase-shift the light energy. The basic principle of such masks is to use a phase-shifting material to interfere with the electric fields of light passing through adjacent open features and, thus, cause the annihilation of superimposed fields with opposite phases. One type of phase-shifting photomask, an attenuated phase-shifting mask (APSM), uses a film of a slightly transmissive absorber with a 180.degree. phase shift. By controlling the thickness and optical properties of the mask, such as by changing the chemical content of the film, two levels of light-transmission can be achieved in a single mask.
However, phase-shifting systems provide only limited control of absorption levels and require complex manufacturing processes. Additionally, researchers of phase-shifting systems have encountered difficulties applying such systems to arbitrary mask patterns and obtaining accurate feature delineation.
In view of the problems described above, a need remains for a photomask which can be efficiently manufactured and which offers multiple absorption levels. Accordingly, there is provided herein a photomask and method of its use which allows different portions of the photoresist to be exposed simultaneously to various levels of exposure using a single exposure process.